Deception | Anakin Skywalker x Reader

|25| Healed

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1.8k words

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By the time the ship lands back on the fortress, the bacta has all but worn off, the pain in my back returning tenfold to the point where I am struggling to even support my own weight.

I make my way slowly down the ramp, each step more painful than the last, until I feel my knees begin to buckle. Just as I am about to faceplant the metal beneath my feet, I feel an arm snake its way around my waist and, as much as it pains me to do so, I lean against the other body, allowing Fives to hold me up. "I thought you could use some help," he says, smiling gently, but underneath the smile I can see worry etched upon his face.

"Thank you Fives. Can you help me get back to my room? I should be fine from there."

"Are you sure that you don't want to see a medic? I could get one to come directly to your rooms."

"No, it's okay. There is no need to bother them. I think I'm just going to apply some more bacta and try to sleep it off. If it's not better later, I'll call the medic."

Fives looks like he wants to argue, but after a moment of silence, he concedes defeat, knowing just how stubborn I can be. "Okay, fine. I'll walk you back to your room but you have to promise me that you'll get medical help if you don't feel any better."

"I promise."

He nods at my promise and then takes me back to my room, letting me go in the doorway, and after telling him I'll be fine one last time he leaves, closing the door softly behind him.

I barely make it to my bed before I collapse from a combination of exhaustion and pain.

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An incessant knocking, what feels like a few minutes later but in reality is most likely hours later, wakes me up and pulls me into consciousness. Reasonably, I know the sound comes from the outside of my door, but in all my pain, it feels as though someone is directly pounding their fist against my skull. I bury my face deeper into my pillow, hoping that whoever is there will get the message that I don't want to speak with anyone right now and will leave me alone.

They don't.

Slowly, I push myself to my feet, my breathing becoming more laborious the more I move so that I am worryingly out of breath by the time I am leaning against my door, pulling it open and peering through the small gap between the door and the frame. Expecting to see Fives checking up on me, I am about five seconds away from telling him once more that I am fine when I am stopped short.

Fives doesn't wear a cloak, and the person standing outside my door is covered from head to toe in long, billowing robes. There is only one person I know who frequents this station and is only ever seen wearing a hood that completely shrouds their features.

Vader.

Without giving it a second thought, almost as if I have no control over my own body, I slam the door shut.

Why in the stars is he here?

Did Fifth Brother get to him first? Did he blame me for the mission being a complete failure? Does Vader now blame me?

I should have just pushed through the pain and immediately gone to give him the mission brief instead of going straight to my room.

"(y/l/n), I know you're there. I saw you open the door. I need to talk to you about the mission," I tense at his direct tone and the use of my last name makes me flinch, unable to stop myself from remembering the softness in his voice the last time we had spoken, the ghost of his breath against my skin as his soft lips pressed to my own.